Kindred Spirits
by MegaMegaMike
Summary: When something unexpected happens on a holiday, Chie's life changes. She sees a close friend of her's very differently. They are more alike than she ever knew...
1. Lonely Together

**AUTHOR'S NOTE** **:** Hello again! I decided to write another quick story using the Persona 4 cast. As always, I do not own the Persona series, nor do I intend to profit off of it using this.

Instead of following my previous Yu and Naoto romance story with another, I decided to write about a different pair in Persona 4 that I enjoy. This story is written from Chie Satonaka's perspective. I hope you like it!

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\- 1 -

 _Lonely Together_

Many students were lining the hallways of Yasogami High, crowding around their lockers. It made it hard to force my way through to my homeroom. Any other day, this would make me furious. I might have delivered a few "critical hits". Today wasn't an ordinary day, however...

It was Valentine's Day.

I couldn't help but sigh. Today is a holiday where girls are supposed to bake chocolates for a boy they like and then spend the rest of the day together. Sounds simple enough, but it mostly relies on you already having a date in mind. Face it, Chie, you don't have a date. Again. Why did I think _this_ year would be different? I tried to calm down, or not think about it, but every student I looked at was a quick reminder.

I took my usual seat next to Yu, who had already arrived. How he made his was through the halls so quickly, I have no idea. He greeted me kindly, as I'm used to, then Yukiko walked in. In her arms was a bag that she doesn't usually bring along. Was that because of today? I didn't ask about it, as I've been trying to be less nosy about Yukiko's life lately, but it definitely made me curious. She hadn't mentioned anything about it to me. Did she have a date? One by one, the rest of students began entering class 2-2. Yosuke stepped in, running later than usual.

"Good morning, Yosuke," Yu and I said in unison, turning to face him as he entered from the back of the classroom.

"Oh, hey guys," He replied with a very unenthusiastic tone. Yu and I looked at each other confused. I turned back to see Yosuke slide into his desk, cross his arms on top of it, then set his head down. This gesture made me frown. Yosuke can be a bit of a moron, but he's been a friend of mine since he moved to Inaba. I wondered if something happened on the way to school, but before I could ask, Ms. Kashiwagi entered and class began. Oh well, I guess that can wait until later...

* * *

School had flown by quicker than I had wanted. Traditionally, school can be a drag. Today, I wasn't looking forward to seeing how things would go afterwards. It became awkward immediately when the rest of the Investigation Team entered the class. Kanji entered without a clue what Valentine's Day was about. Rise stopped by to hand out 'friendship chocolate' to everyone. It was nice of her, but I felt a bit awkward getting chocolate from a girl on Valentine's Day. What were my parents going to say? She didn't give one to Yu, instead winking at him. I knew where that was going...

Surprisingly, Naoto even showed up. She barely stepped past the doorway at first. She was very shy, and slowly walked up to the rest of the group. I bet she hoped there wouldn't be a crowd when she came in. She told Yu that she needed to talk to him about something important. Yu stood up and nodded, agreeing to go with her. Of course, Rise wasn't about to let that slide. Rise grabbed Yu's arm and essentially dragged him out of the classroom, saying that he was 'taken' for the day. Naoto blushed, but chased after the pair. The whole thing was kind of cute, in a really weird way.

Yosuke sighed. "Uh, well, Kanji..." He started, turning to look over to Kanji. "Guess we're spending time with _each other_ today!" He said, emphasizing the words to everyone but Kanji. Mostly to his 'partner' who wasn't in the classroom anymore. Yosuke was jealous. It made me smirk.

"Actually, I can't," Kanji said, rubbing the back of his head. "I promised Ma I'd help at the shop today. I gotta turn in early."

"What?!" Yosuke shouted. "Ugh, even Kanji has a date today..."

"It's not a date!" Kanji shouted. "It's my damn Ma!" Yosuke and Kanji began arguing, but I zoned out for a while. My eyes looked down by my bag. I brought it today because of the holiday, but I don't have any reason for it. Should I just leave it? Valentine's Day is supposed to be a fun time with the ones close to you, but it isn't a very special holiday to me. At least Yukiko doesn't have plans. I won't have to be by myself today.

"Hey, Yukiko," I said, poking her arm. She was staring at the two boys arguing, and I sort of snapped her out of it. "Can we hang out tonight?"

"Huh?" Yukiko said. "Didn't you have plans?" I shook my head. "Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you did, so I offered to work a shift at the inn tonight. Valentine's Day is a very busy day for us."

That makes sense. Holidays at Inaba are most likely spent at the most famous place here. I couldn't help but frown though. Great. Even my best friend wasn't going to be able to spend the day with me.

"That's okay," I said, putting on a fake smile for Yukiko. "I gotta go."

I got up from my desk, put on my backpack, grabbed my extra bag, and left the classroom. I just walked out, leaving Yukiko with the two boys yelling at each other. I wasn't really thinking straight. What was I going to do now? Was my date for Valentine's Day going to be my kung-fu DVD collection? While there are worse things out there, it is kind of a depressing thought. I slowly walked the halls, not really going anywhere in particular. Instinctively, I walked up to the roof. This _was_ my usual spot after all. I sat down where I always do and got lost in thought.

The last few years' Valentine's Days weren't any better. I've never had a boyfriend, so I never had a date. Who was I going to give chocolate to? Some guy I barely know? It's funny, a few months ago, I might have given some to Yu himself. Not only is he currently dating someone now, but we both seemed to notice that we get along better as friends. It's nice not having to worry about relationship issues when around Yu; I can just be myself. Maybe Valentine's Day isn't all it's cracked up to be, or maybe I'm the problem.

Time passed, until I stood up again. It was getting late, so I decided to leave. Everyone will be gone by now, so the walk home should be quiet. Maybe my parents have a date of their own and I can just sneak in the house and deal with their game of twenty questions some other day. Not likely though...

As I made my way down the staircases to the ground floor I noticed someone sitting on the stoop outside. It was a boy sitting hunched over. I didn't know what to make of it at first. Was this just a student? Was he waiting for me? Is it a criminal? Should I leave a different way? I kept asking myself so many questions as I slowly approached the door. He was wearing a Yasogami High uniform, so I began to relax a little. As I approached, I noticed the boy was wearing headphones and bobbing his head slightly. He was also patting his leg in rhythm to a song. Finally, I put it together: it was Yosuke!

He hadn't heard me, but I was so confused as to why he was still here. As I thought, no one was in the main building. I think I heard a trombone or something coming from the Practice Building, but I couldn't quite tell.

"Yosuke?" I asked as I walked outside. He didn't react. I had stepped up behind him, but with his headphones he must not have heard me. I clenched my fists around my backpack straps and gave him a sorta light kick to the side. It wasn't hard, I think, but the way he jumped up looked like I was trying to punt him into space or something.

"What the hell, Chie?!" He shouted, yanking off his headphones. "What was that for?!"

"Why are you yelling at me?!" I replied, losing my temper with Yosuke already. "I thought you were gonna try and rob me or something! I almost called the cops on you!" Yosuke seemed to understand what I meant and relaxed a little. He leaned against the stair railing. "What are you still doing here?"

He looked over at me. "I could ask you the same question." We both looked down at our feet and sighed. I looked and saw he was holding a box, but it was the same one Rise handed out earlier. I had an identical looking one in my hand, too.

"No luck, huh?" I asked him, pointing at the chocolate box in his hand. He glanced where I was pointing then looked away.

"Yeah," He said reluctantly. "No surprise there," He mumbled, sighing once he got it out. I couldn't tell at first if he was blaming me or not. I let it go. I looked down at my bag I was still carrying and let out a nervous laugh.

"If it makes you feel better, I didn't have anyone to give this to today," I said, showing him my bag and what's inside. It was chocolate. My parents convinced me to bake some for Valentine's Day. They were trying to push me to go on a date, but wouldn't listen to me when I tried to refuse.

"Did you make that yourself?" Yosuke asked, pointing at the chocolate. I nodded. Suddenly, Yosuke smirked, threw his hands behind his head casually and said, "Well, maybe that's for the best!"

I looked up at him, stunned. What did he just say?

"What did you just say?" I asked through my teeth. I suck at cooking, I know that, but it's the thought that counts, right? I took a step toward Yosuke, clenching my fist again. He backed away, like he always does.

"Calm down, Chie!" Yosuke said, holding up his hands. "I'm just joking." I scoffed and looked away. Yosuke teases me more than anyone else, and I keep falling right into his trap. He sighed. "If it makes _you_ feel any better, I'd rather have bad chocolate than no chocolate."

I looked back at Yosuke. At first, I thought this was just a trick to get me to give him chocolate. Then he'd probably brag to his co-workers, or call Yu and start a dumb rumor, or - worst case scenario - tell Teddie. He was looking away at the distant sunset. The way he said it also seemed more genuine. Maybe this time, he was actually trying to cheer me up. I don't think he was just meaning the chocolate, though. I figured he meant that he didn't want to be by himself today.

"Yeah," I said, looking out at the sunset myself. There was a long silence between us. I don't know about Yosuke, but it made me especially nervous. It was very awkward to see him being more thoughtful, and also being quiet.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" He eventually asked.

I shook my head. "Not really. I was just going to go back home, I guess." Trial of the Dragon, here I come. Normally, that would cheer me up, but not now. I wouldn't be able to focus on the movie, my mind would be somewhere else. Not focusing on that movie should be a crime, so I probably wouldn't even turn it on. I had no idea what I was going to do. What a waste of a day...

"What about you?" I asked Yosuke.

"Nope," Yosuke replied quickly. Then there was another long silence. I thought about leaving, but I remembered this morning again and turned to face Yosuke again.

"Hey, Yosuke," I began, causing him to look my way. "About this morning, what happened? You looked really down." Yosuke winced. I guess he hoped I wouldn't notice or remember that.

"Oh, well," Yosuke mumbled. "This is the first Valentine's Day since..." Yosuke trailed off. I stared at him. "You know..." He added, again trailing off. My eyes opened wide. I knew what he was getting at.

'This is the first Valentine's Day since Saki-senpai died...' I could hear Yosuke's voice in my head say it. It saddened me to remember that. I wasn't close to Saki, but Yosuke sure was. Even though Saki actually thought Yosuke was annoying, he was still infatuated with her. It's one thing for your crush to not spend Valentine's Day with you because she doesn't notice you, but it's worse that she can't because she is dead. I felt bad for bringing it up, or making Yosuke keep going.

"I'm used to not having a date for Valentine's Day," Yosuke said, "But it's just hard, you know?" He looked at the ground again, probably thinking about Saki and all the pain tied to her now. I reached over and put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't budge.

"I never had a date for Valentine's Day, either," I said, trying to say something to help. We can commiserate on this. "I'm sorry, Yosuke..."

He nodded, then slowly raised his head to look at me in the eyes.

"Chie?" He asked. I gulped. I became tongue-tied. Why was I nervous? It was just Yosuke!

"Y-yeah?" I replied. My stomach churned, and I started to shiver a little.

"Why would anyone want to date you?"

Yosuke barely got all the words out before my right leg raised to knee him in the stomach. I wasn't trying to be gentle now; I slammed it into him. He yelped then fell down. I could hear a small chuckle when he finally caught his breath.

"Jeez, Yosuke!" I yelled. "I'm trying to be nice here!"

"I know!" He said. "But it's so easy to push your buttons!"

I sighed, and actually smiled. At least Yosuke was back to being himself. I held out a hand to help him to his feet, and pulled him up. He dusted himself off and tried to take a cool stance again.

"You know," He started. "Besides the broken ribs, this might be the best Valentine's Day I've had."

Despite my shock at what he said, and my head snapping to look at him, I couldn't help but agree in my mind. Most Valentine's Days I've had involved me making chocolate, not giving it to anyone, leaving school the second the bell rings, and just waiting until the day is over. Who would have thought my favorite one would be with Yosuke of all people?

... _With_ Yosuke...?

"Yeah..." I said, with my cheeks getting warm. "M-me too." Yosuke looked over and smiled, which I returned. I don't think I stopped blushing, but I'm glad he didn't make a point of it. As simple as this was, this little talk with Yosuke was kinda fun. I didn't believe it. I looked at my bag with chocolate again, and then back to Yosuke. A terrible idea jumped into my head. The kind that is so terrible, that you actually sorta want to do it. Besides, it's a holiday. You're supposed to throw caution to the wind, right?

"Yosuke?" I called, having him look at me. I looked away, and started shifting in place. "Don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

"About what?" He asked, not getting what I was saying. I outstretched my arms which held the bag of chocolate. Yosuke looked at them completely confused.

"Here," I said. "Happy Valentine's Day." I blushed again. I can't believe I'm doing this. Neither can Yosuke, as he slowly grabbed it out of my hands. Maybe he thought this was a trick to hit him again or something. It wasn't. He was still busy looking down at the chocolates when I gave him something else. Something that made Yosuke blush, and become entirely shocked and speechless.

I stepped forward and gave Yosuke a kiss on his cheek.

"T-thanks, Yosuke," I said, in a shy tone. I adjusted my backpack on my shoulder, and took a step back. "I'll see you tomorrow."


	2. Thrown Off Guard

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Welcome back! Due to 'popular demand', I decided to write a second chapter for 'Kindred Spirits'. Initially, I only intended to make the first chapter the whole story. However, the kind words of the reviews inspired me to keep going. That, and I didn't hit the 'Complete' button when posting the story originally. What a happy little accident!

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy the new parts of the story. It's still written from Chie's perspective. Thanks for reading!

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\- 2 -

 _Thrown Off Guard_

 _02 / 14 TUE_

I can't believe I just did that.

That thought ran through my head again and again as I walked home. The cold night in February seemingly became much warmer. My face was warm. It almost felt like I was sweating. Every time I tried to clear my mind, something reminded me of what just happened.

Was that really the Yosuke I've known all along...?

He still made the same snarky jokes, but it felt different. Despite us working together to solve a murder case, it seemed like I finally saw what he was really like. It's so strange to think about. I tried my best not to, but it wouldn't go away. I wonder if I left Yosuke with a bunch of questions back at school...

I stepped through the front door of my house, still holding onto Rise's chocolates. I took off my coat and shoes at the doorway, then walked inside. Mentally, I was bracing myself for the onslaught of questions from my parents about today. Last year, I just sulked off to my room. I didn't give any chocolate out and I didn't go on a date. What was there to talk about? The year before that, I convinced Yukiko to let me stay at the Amagi Inn for the night. This time, I actually had something to say about the holiday, but I don't think I could bring myself to talk to them yet.

Instead of all that, my parents warmly welcomed me home. They smiled and continued doing what they were doing as I came in. On one hand, I sort of wanted to brag about what happened today to someone, but I felt relieved too. I smiled back at them, still feeling nervous on the inside, then went to my room. Casually, I changed out of my winter clothes into something more comfortable. Looking over at my TV, I flicked on a Kung-Fu DVD and sat on the floor. I finally got a good look at the box Rise's chocolates came in. It was very detailed. I wonder if Yu got something even fancier than this. I wonder what he did today.

As I stuffed my face with some of the chocolates, my eyes stared directly at the movie. It was a favorite of mine. I've seen it so many times, I can quote the movie by heart now! When the title appeared, I cheered a little to myself. My eyes then went unfocused for a second and read the title again.

 **TRIAL OF THE DRAGON**

I smiled and my face got warm feeling again. I completely forgot that a few months ago, I finally got a replacement DVD of this movie. My mind wandered away from the movie, which is just crazy, and back to Yosuke again. Thinking back at the clumsy doofus who somehow snapped my DVD in half and crashed his bike regularly on his way from school, it's funny how he did two things right on Valentine's Day of all days. Smooth, Yosuke...

Glancing over at the clock, I realized how late it was. I turned the movie off halfway, feeling guilty the whole time, then flopped onto my bed. My eyes stared at the ceiling blankly. Clearing my head wasn't working. Now I started to sweat for sure. What was going to happen at school tomorrow? Either way, I won't be going to sleep any time soon...

* * *

 _02 / 15 Wed_

As I thought, school was unbelievably awkward. I walked slower than usual on my way. Yukiko didn't seem to pick up on my nervousness, and just acted like usual. That actually helped me calm down somewhat. Both Yukiko and Yu being their usual selves helped, actually. Then Yosuke walked in, and all of that went away. He seemed to share in my reaction: eyes open wide with a red face. He took his seat and class began normally. Thankfully, it was over before I knew it. Yu and Yukiko began to talk with each other as soon as the teacher left. I wasn't listening to their conversation. Instead I was busy spacing out. Suddenly, I felt something poking the back of my arm.

"Hey, um, Chie?" Yosuke whispered. I looked over at him with a surprised look.

"What?" I whispered back, shyly.

Yosuke's eyes shifted back and forth. "Can I talk to you?" He asked. I sat silently staring at him. "In private?" He added. That didn't help me feel less tense. I blinked and looked back at Yosuke again.

"Sure," I replied. When I think about what happened last night, for the hundredth time, I was the one who made a 'move'. It wouldn't be fair to just avoid Yosuke after I did that. He nodded slowly. Maybe he was nervous too?

The two of us stood up together and walked towards the back door of the classroom. Yosuke led the way, and I glanced back at Yu and Yukiko one more time. I was shocked to see Yu was already looking in my direction with a smile on his face. He gave me a little wave as I left the room. My head fell. Did Yosuke blab about this already? Was it wrong for me to trust he would keep what I did a secret?

I guess I just need to see this out for now. Maybe Yosuke would come clean. Or maybe Yu figured it out on his own. Naoto and him were both very good at deducing things with somewhat little evidence. No wonder the two of them get along so well.

Yosuke and I walked off school grounds together. After Yosuke took a strangely long - even for him - bathroom break, we kept going. I waited outside, and I swear I heard him saying something. I wasn't listening very closely, but I think he might have been talking to himself or something.

Yosuke led me to the Samegawa Flood Plain. It was kind of embarrassing when I thought about it. I usually come near here to train. Did Yosuke know that, or was this just a coincidence? Either way, the walk felt like it took forever. Neither of us said a thing. I was looking down at my feet, occasionally glancing upward to keep track of Yosuke. I kept pace with him, but wasn't thinking about anything in particular. Yosuke was a few steps ahead of me when he suddenly stopped. I only know this, because I bumped into him accidentally.

"Hey! Watch it, Chie!" Yosuke shouted, as he spun around very quickly. He wasn't really angry, but I was because of his tone.

"Don't yell at me!" I replied. He reared back in response. I guess I was way too loud. As always. "Why did you bring me all the way _here_ anyway?!"

Yosuke eyes drifted away. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I, uh..." He started, "I wanted to ask you something..."

"That's it?!" I yelled back. Now I felt a little bad. Whatever Yosuke wanted to ask, he wanted to ask in private. It must be important. I didn't mean to be so harsh to him. I sighed and calmed down a bit. I noticed Yosuke was shaking a bit. "What is it?"

Yosuke stared back at me. He sat there silently for a second. In my head, I was trying to imagine what he would ask. Would it be another of his stupid jokes? I was getting really sick of those. Yosuke made a dumb habit of regularly calling me late at night to tell me a dirty joke. Not only did it make him look sort of like a perv, but what did that say about me? He felt comfortable telling me a joke that guys tell each other. Was I the only friend he had? Was I just 'one of the guys' to him? By now he should know me well enough that it bugs me when people look at me like a guy. Maybe Yosuke never listened. Why should I listen to him now?

"Do you want to go on a date...?"

What did he say? Yosuke Hanamura, the Prince of Disappointment, was asking me on a date? Did I hear that right?

My eyes snapped open and stared at him, my nose flared, my mouth hung open, and my mind went blank all at once. I thought back to yesterday night once again. Did Yosuke think about this at all? What I did was pretty out of nowhere, but is this how he took it? I definitely didn't think about it too much myself. I was so stunned I couldn't think of anything to say in response.

"Let me start over..." Yosuke said slowly. He sighed and looked me in the eyes. "I like you, Chie. I guess I didn't really know that for a while. Last night, when you..." Yosuke trailed off. "You know..." Yosuke gestured. I knew what he meant and nodded. "It sort of made me feel like I should say something."

I couldn't make a sound to respond in any way. My eyes, wide open, kept staring at Yosuke. I was waiting for him to keep going. As dumb as it sounds, I liked hearing what he said. A slightly embarrassing smile spread across my face. In response, Yosuke winked at me and shrugged.

"Besides," He started, "Isn't the guy supposed to make the first move?" The way he said it wasn't smooth or charming, but more of a teasing tone. I laughed a little at it, despite it not being the most romantic thing to say.

"Guess I beat you to it, huh?" I replied. Yosuke grinned and held up his hands in defeat. The moment made me feel better, as I was trembling for some time now.

"So?" Yosuke asked. "What do you say?"

My head was full of so many thoughts and things to say. "Are you sure you want to date _me_?" I asked. Yu, Yukiko, and several other members of the team always talk to me about this: I don't have the highest self-esteem. They mention that I have nothing to be ashamed of, but it's something I still struggle with. Yosuke should know this, he did see my shadow after all. I've wanted to go on dates before with a bunch of guys I used to know, but I never knew why they would want to go with me. Yosuke is a goof, but I bet he could get a girlfriend if he really tried.

"I am," Yosuke answered, with a confident voice. His eyes didn't leave mine. My face was getting warmer and warmer. I think I started to sweat.

"Uh..." I said. "O-okay," I finished with a smile. I wan't confident about any of this, but I just wanted to go with it for now. I felt too good right now to turn this down.

"Cool!" Yosuke said, smiling back at me. I looked downward, still a happily embarrassed expression on my face.

"So..." I started, "Where are we going?" Yosuke stepped backward.

"I dunno," He said. My eyes shot back up at him. Suddenly, my fist started to clench a little. "I didn't think you would actually say 'yes'!" Yosuke said, winking again.

"You mean you asked a girl on a date without having a plan?!" I shouted, flailing my arms angrily. Yosuke keep moving away from me, picking up in speed. I started after him, still scowling.

"I'll text you the details later!" Yosuke said. "I gotta go take care of something first!"

"What?!" I yelled. I couldn't think straight. I watched Yosuke start to run from the flood plain. "Wait! Get back here, Yosuke!" I yelled, chasing after him. My legs are so short, however, and Yosuke was always quick on his feet. Before I knew it, he was out of sight. I bet he ran back to Junes, but I didn't bother going to check. I felt angry and annoyed, but also excited and happy. Somehow Yosuke was getting good at completely surprising me lately.

I'm going on a date with Yosuke... Everything feels like it's been flipped upside down...


	3. Tension Rising

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I'm back! It's been a little while since I posted anything, but I'm back! Sorry guys, but with the holidays, I took a little hiatus coming up with ideas for stories and how to properly continue this one. To be honest, I've struggled with it. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and look forward to the next!

* * *

\- 3 -

 _Tension Rising_

 _02 / 15 WED_

Lazily, I made my way home. Yosuke must have booked it, because I just couldn't keep up with him. I still can't believe he asked if I wanted to go on a date with him, though. I still can't believe he doesn't even have a clue what we should do together.

I wore myself out running around town, so it was time for a big dinner. Most girls would probably scoff at me, but eating is a big hobby of mine. Thankfully, my parents know how to cook well, and always make more than enough for my larger-than-average appetite! Time flew by and before I knew it, I was ready to sleep. After changing into something more comfortable, I threw myself onto my bed. Letting out a pleased sigh, I closed my eyes...

 **Pi Pi Pi Pi Pi Pi Pi**

I groaned. Rolling over slowly, my hand reached out for my cell phone. Because of how tired I was, I accidentally knocked it over onto the floor at first. Now I had to get out of bed even more. Whatever this was it better be worth it!

 **1 new message**

" _Hey. Want 2 have our date 2morrow?"_

I read the message a few times. It was from Yosuke. Did he finally come up with plan? I looked upward and thought of what I had going on tomorrow. Surprisingly, I actually had plans already.

" _I have 2 do fam stuff tomorrow. Friday?_ "

Falling backward onto my bed, I waited for a response before I could finally fall asleep. I didn't have to wait long. I guess Yosuke was waiting for my reply too.

" _Sure sounds good_ "

I smiled and my eyes drifted up to the ceiling. For the first time, I'm going on a date. I feel like a little girl, giddy at something silly. Yosuke is not at all who I expected to be going on a date with, but when has life made sense - especially lately? My smile turned slightly devious.

" _Do u actually have a plan now?_ "

I was interested if he had thought of something, or if he was just going to improvise. It is still Yosuke, so I can get away with giving him crap for all the things he doesn't put much thought into.

" _Yeah, i do. U will like it, i promise!_ "

My eyes read his message a few times. My message was a joke, but his seemed genuine. Yosuke's changed. A little. I was surprised by his response, but I became warmer and more snug in my bed after seeing it.

" _Cool! Good night Yosuke_ "

* * *

 _02 / 17 FRI_

Alarms must have been made by the devil himself. My eyes shoot open, then return to their barely open and tired state. Time for school.

My walk was uneventful. I was running a bit behind, so I walked by myself. Along the way, I remembered what was going on after school today: I have a date.

I stopped in place when I remembered that. It was still so odd to me. I grinned to myself, then kept on my way to school. Yesterday was such a busy day with my family, and I hadn't gotten nearly enough sleep. I felt cranky, but I didn't want to ask to postpone the date. I already agreed to it, so I shouldn't back out now. I stopped again. Taking a deep breath, I composed myself. I guess I'm just getting cold feet.

Finally, I made my way to classroom 2-2. I entered the door at the front of the class. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could tell I was one of the last students in the class today. My head was still pointed downward, looking at my feet sheepishly. I turned and walked towards my desk and dropped my bag on the ground nearby.

"Hello!" Two voices chimed in. I recognized them both and looked upward. My eyes looked right at Yosuke, who seemed to just be arriving himself. Both of us froze for a second. I wasn't sure why he was staring, but it really wasn't helping my nerves. Startling both of us out of this, the bell rang and everyone took their seats. Saved by the bell, I suppose. I didn't check, but I hoped Yukiko and Yu weren't staring at us the whole time. I sat down quickly, trying to hide my face. I didn't want everyone to notice my bright red cheeks...

* * *

"Hey, Chie," a voice sounded out. Before I knew it, school had ended. It felt excruciating, but it flew by at the same time. I was in a daze for the whole day. I couldn't stop thinking about whatever was going to happen afterwards. This voice snapped me out of that funk quickly. It came from Yukiko, who had turned around to look at me. "I work at the Inn tonight, do you want to come by? It's not going to be very busy tonight, so we can hang out."

I began to mutter something, then immediately tried to stop. I didn't quite cut it off in time, as a strange squeal-ish sound came out. I didn't bother to check if everyone was staring at me, they probably were, and tried to play it off. I rested my head against my hand.

"I, uh, can't!" I snapped. Jeez, Chie. All I have to do is come up with an excuse, but my mind was a total blank. I mumbled gibberish to myself as I tried to find something, _anything_ , to say to my best friend. Everything going on between Yosuke and I was so out of nowhere that they would have a field day knowing this. I couldn't blow our cover, especially since I asked Yosuke to keep quiet about the whole thing. "I, uh, have to..." I trailed off again. Yosuke must think I'm an idiot right now, and who could blame him? How in the world was I going to explain this to Yukiko? I heard a sigh to my side that came from Yu of all people. I didn't know what that was for, but tried to remain focused on my complete stupidity for now...

"Oh, that's right! You were going to train today, weren't you?" Yukiko said, eyes open wide. My eyes darted to meet hers. The expression on my face must have been complete desperation. I obviously needed help out of this, but it looks like Yukiko would do the work for me. "Sorry, I always forget."

"Y-yeah!" I replied quickly, unable to hide my stutter. "I have to t-train!" I nervously repeated, saying my words faster and faster. "Sorry, Yukiko!" I tried to laugh in a casual way, but I'm sure Yukiko noticed it was very unnatural.

"What about you two? Are you busy also?" Yukiko asked Yu and Yosuke. I relaxed a bit, as I thought Yu would speak up first and Yosuke would jump in to cover his butt. I tensed when I saw Yu turn to face Yosuke with an amused expression. He was enjoying watching us squirm! He totally noticed me - how could he not? - and now is waiting to see if Yosuke will fidget too! Does he know what is going on...?

Yosuke was blankly staring past Yukiko. "Uh..." He started. I can't believe neither of us thought up an excuse as to where we could be today. "I have to work at Junes tonight!" He suddenly shouted. Nice one, Yosuke. If Yukiko and Yu weren't super suspicious already, they definitely are now. I looked at Yukiko and, shockingly, she seemed to buy it. I guess she always was a bit gullible. She turned to Yu.

"I promised Nanako I'd help with her homework tonight," He answered, while shaking his head. I always thought it was sweet seeing Yu and Nanako together. They are so close are caring, and it happened in such a short time period. "What about Kanji or Rise?" Yu asked. He must have seen Yukiko look a bit down after all three of us claimed we were busy. It was nice of him to try to help her out regardless. I couldn't help but feel kind of bad though for lying to my best friend though...

"That's a good idea!" Yukiko said, sounding excited. "Kanji-kun likes cooking and Rise-kun would make a good host!" Yukiko smiled big and stood up. Was Yukiko planning on putting those two to work at the Inn? Was she planning on having us work?

There was a silence now. Yukiko grabbed her things and headed towards the door. She looked back again at the three of us still seated. She tilted her head and looked confused. I didn't dare turn to check, but Yosuke must have been like me: completely still. He was dead silent like me at least. We both looked like we were up to something. Should I say something to Yukiko? Would Yosuke? Oh no, not this pressure again...

"Some other time!" Yu said, letting out a little laugh. Yukiko shrugged, nodded, then left. I sighed as she turned the corner, feeling a bit more relaxed. Yu covered for us both. It sounded like there was an echo when I sighed though...

Yu stood up and got ready to leave. Everyone else had gone by this point except us, so once Yu is gone, Yosuke and I are in the clear. Instead of heading for the door, however, he turned back to us and smiled.

"Shouldn't the two of you get going?" He asked. I let out a gasp at the same time as Yosuke. Our heads snapped to look at Yu, who stood confident as always. At the same time, Yosuke and I faced each other quickly. My mouth was open slightly in disbelief: Yosuke _must_ have told Yu! Right as I fugured that, Yosuke looked back at Yu. There was another pause. I was still stunned. I told Yosuke not to tell anyone, and he goes and tells our leader! Could I trust him with any secret? "Don't you usually like to train right after school?" Yu questioned. My head rose fast. He must have recalled the times he trained alongside me.

"T-that's right!" I said, getting to my feet as fast as I could. In doing so I knocked over my backpack. I picked it up quickly. I was beginning to rethink all of what's been going on lately, and I wasn't sure what to do now. I would just take any excuse to get far away from here now... "I gotta go!" I shouted as I ran out of the room and down the hall.

I needed some time to think. I needed to be alone.

Where should I go? I couldn't go to my usual spot, that would be too obvious. Where could I go that would be quiet and empty...?


	4. The Next Step

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Me again! Thanks for checking out this story of mine. It's funny in retrospect that I've made it this far. I only meant for it to be the first chapter, but missed clicking on 'Complete' when uploading. That little mistake has led to me continuing because of several kind reviews that inspired me to continue. I cannot say it enough: thank you everyone who read and reviewed my stories, it truly means a lot.

In this chapter, I wanted to include more characters that I haven't used yet. I'm trying to expand my writing landscapes, so-to-speak. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

\- 4 -

 _The Next Step_

My legs felt weak as I stumbled through the halls of Yasogami High. Everything that's happened in the last few days has shaken me so much. I'm so confused. I need to get away for a while, but to where?

As I left the main building, I just started to walk. I didn't have a plan at all in my head, but I just kept walking. Before I knew it, I was at the flood plain. After passing by a cat I see every time I come here now, I stopped by the steps leading to the riverbank. This was as good as I could imagine right now, so I sat at the bottom of the steps slumped over. I must have looked pathetic.

Why was I letting this bother me? What was actually bothering me? I couldn't get my thoughts straight. Was it that I was disappointed that Yosuke couldn't keep a secret? Did I expect better out of him? For the first time since I met him, I sort of doubted my trust towards him. Yosuke isn't the most confident or cool guy around, but I made quick friends with him and he's always had my back, too. He's a goofball, but I knew I could trust him. Honestly, when something serious happened, a few times I turned to Yosuke to talk to before Yukiko. Why am I so lost feeling right now? I can't seem to thi-

"Oh, excuse me. Are you thinking about something?" A small, high-pitched voice asked behind me. I turned and saw a girl wearing our school uniform. She was pretty short, with short hair too. She looked concerned.

"Uh..." I started. I didn't know who this was, so I didn't feel comfortable spilling my guts to her. I doubt she wanted to hear my life story right now anyway. "Yeah, I am."

"You probably don't want to be distracted then, right?" She asked.

"Not really..." I replied, sighing. "Why?"

"Oh, well I come here to practice my trombone since there usually isn't someone around. But if you want to be alone then I can-"

"You can go ahead. I'll leave," I interrupted. I stood up, staring out at the river.

"If you're certain..." She said, sounding unsure. "I didn't mean to bother you or anything..."

"It's okay," I said, turning to face the girl. I flashed a quick smile. "I should be going anyway." The girl got down the steps with her trombone. Seeing a girl of her size with a large instrument like that was very odd, but she seemed to handle it fine. I started up the steps.

"Hey," She called out to me. "I hope you figure out whatever it is you need to."

I smiled again, this time while looking down slightly embarrassed. "Thanks," I said. It was a really nice thing to say. The way she said it to me sounded sincere, as if she really hopes I can settle my problems. "Hey, who are you anyway? I noticed your uniform, but I don't think we've met."

"Oh!" She said, surprised. "My name is Ayane, I'm part of the school band."

"The band?" I asked. "Oh, you must be who Yu talks about!"

"S-senpai talks about me...?" She asked.

"He mentioned that a friend of his in the band was a hard worker..." I said, recalling some of his stories. "...And that she played trombone!"

"T-that's me, I guess..." She said, looking away. She looked back at me, her face beaming. A small giggle came out. "Tell him I said, 'thank you very much'!"

"Sure thing!" I said. Waving goodbye, I began to walk through the Samegawa Flood Plain. It's funny, I hadn't really solved my problem at all, but I feel a lot better now. Maybe now I could look at things differently and figure something out. Whatever it is I'm feeling, it would probably be for the best to not run from it. Yu taught me that. That's how we solved the case, after all.

I suddenly remembered that my cell phone was actually in my backpack. Usually, I would have it in my pocket, but when I kicked over my bag at school, I rushed to grab everything. My phone dropped out of my pocket and into my bag. Fishing it out, I saw I had 3 messages, all from Yosuke.

" _r u still at school?_ "

" _where r u?_ "

" _is everything all right? can we talk?_ "

I glanced through them quickly. Yosuke seemed worried by the looks of that last one. I felt kind of guilty now. Who knows, Yosuke might have been looking around the school for me. I did agree to meet up with him after school and just ran off instead. I shook my head and felt more determined now.

" _i'm fine. i needed to think about stuff. let's meet up at junes_ "

After finishing the message, I flicked the phone closed and stuffed it in my pocket. Tossing my bag over my shoulders, I began my walk to our 'secret hideout' with the sounds of a trombone behind me.

* * *

It didn't take very long to reach Junes; Inaba was a small town after all. As I reached the food court, I saw Yosuke already seated at our usual table. His back was facing me, so he hadn't seen me come by yet. I stopped in place. After my talk with Ayane, I wasn't nearly as nervous as I had been but I needed to get my thoughts in order first. I didn't want to come off like I was trying to attack Yosuke. I just wanted to know some things for sure. I took a deep breath, then walked up to Yosuke with more determination than before.

"Hey, Yosuke," I said, walking up to the table. I must have startled him, as he shot up from his seat.

"Chie!" He said. His face looked nervous, then a bit guilty. "Sorry..."

"For what?" I asked.

"I kinda told someone our secret..." He muttered, looking down at his feet.

Stepping up to him, I grinned. "Aw, whatever! They would have found out eventually anyway!" Yosuke didn't seem to expect my reply. Maybe my reply was a little too carefree, but I think I've been overthinking this ever since I made the first move. "So how many people did you tell?" I asked, curiously.

"Uh, just Yu," He answered. I cocked my head to the side, a little surprised.

"Why did you tell him?"

"W-well..." Yosuke started, "Honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing..." I smirked at him admitting this. He got embarrassed and looked away. "I-I mean, I've never really done this before, so I asked Yu for help..."

"That makes sense," I said and thought at the same time. As far as I know, Yu is the only one in our group who is dating someone. I've never met them, but he seems happy with them, so he must really care a lot about whoever it is.

"What, you didn't think I would go to _Teddie_ for help, did you?" Yosuke asked, sneering at me. A snort came out as I laughed. That surely would have been the worst idea he could have come up with.

"You want _my_ help?"

Yosuke and I froze, then spun in the direction of the voice. There was no mistaking the high pitched, goofy tone: it was Teddie!

"Oh, hey Chie-chan!" Teddie said, waving at me. I totally forgot he just works with Yosuke at Junes now. I really should have picked a better spot to meet Yosuke than this. I nervously waved back to Teddie. "Sooo, what did you want my help with?"

"Nothing!" Yosuke said, holding up both hands. "We were..." Yosuke began, looking at me. He was lost and trying to come up with an excuse.

"...Talking about our homework!" I finished.

"Why would you want my help with that?" Teddie asked. "I don't work at home, I work at Junes!" Teddie seemed proud of himself for some reason.

"That's what I'm saying!" Yosuke said, in an annoyed tone he usually throws at Teddie. "I said I _wasn't_ going to ask you for help with that!"

"Gotcha!" Teddie said, smiling. Then he started looking around. "Where's everybody else?"

Yosuke and I looked at each other and said, "Huh?"

"Is it just you two?" Teddie asked.

"Yeahh..." I said slowly. Now it was my turn to think of an excuse. "We're going to meet up with them later!"

"Oh really! Can I come?" Teddie asked, bopping up and down like a child. I didn't put much thought into my excuse.

"No, stupid!" Yosuke shouted. "You have to work!"

"Aww..." Teddie replied. "You guys always leave me out... I'm so beary alone..."

"Come on, Teddie," I said, rubbing the top of his head. "We'll have fun later, okay?" Teddie immediately behaved, and let out his content growl. Maybe he really is part bear...

"Well, we gotta go," Yosuke said, trying to get out of here. I nodded.

"See ya later, guys!" Teddie said, waving us goodbye.

Yosuke and I hurriedly left the food court and walked out of Junes. We got outside and both breathed a sigh of relief. If Teddie were to find out about us, everyone would know within the day. It would just be awful. Yu, however, I can trust to keep a secret - probably more than Yosuke...

"That was close!" Yosuke said. I agreed and we looked at each other and smiled. It was like we were kids, sneaking away from our parents to have fun. We both laughed at the ridiculousness of what's happened today.

I glanced over and saw the sun beginning to fall over the horizon. It was almost nighttime. Was this our date? This didn't feel like a date. I guess I don't really know what a date 'feels' like, but aren't they supposed to be romantic or something? I began to feel guilty now. Did I ruin our date by running off for a while? I cursed at myself for not thinking straight all day today.

"So..." Yosuke said. He snapped me out of my thoughts. "Are you mad at me?"

"Huh?" I said, eyebrows shooting upward. "No. Why would I be?"

"Well, I just figured when you ran off after school, I did something wrong."

I nervously laughed. "Actually, I was just about to ask you the same thing..."

"Really?" Yosuke said, confused.

"Well, because I ran off," I started. "I wasted time today, and now it's almost night." I pointed at the sunset. "I kinda messed up your plan, didn't I?"

Yosuke grinned and put both hands behind his head in a relaxed pose. "Don't worry about it! I had a backup plan!" He winked when he said that part. I couldn't help but be surprised. Yosuke actually being prepared today was surprising, but also having a plan B in case things didn't go according to plan A? I was impressed actually. I started poking my fingers together in a nervous way.

"So, should we go then...?" I asked quietly.

Yosuke rubbed the back of his head. "Sure. It's, uh, nothing special, but I think you'll like it."

He motioned towards the street, so the two of started walking. We were headed in the direction of the Shopping District, and passed by several shops. I glanced over at Tatsumi Textiles and silently hoped Kanji wouldn't come running out with a ton of questions for Yosuke and I. Once again, I was lost in my own daydreams. My hands were stuffed in the pockets of my jacket, and my head was staring right at the ground. I began to wonder where Yosuke was taking me. Something I'd like?

"Here we are," Yosuke said.

My head darted to look over at the building we were standing in front of. I smiled from ear-to-ear.

"You know me too well," I said, glancing at Yosuke while still smiling.

"If I remember correctly, I still owe you a few steak bowls..." Yosuke said, looking towards me.

"Well, what are we waiting for?!" I yelled in excitement. I grabbed Yosuke's arm and yanked him inside, smiling the whole time. After all, this was my first date.


	5. Happy with You

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Welcome back! Perhaps I should be saying that to myself? I took far too long of a break to return to finish up this story. I sincerely hope I didn't keep you waiting too long.

With this chapter, Kindred Spirits will be brought to a close. From an intended one-part story, to a five-chapter series, this story has been tremendously fun to write and the reviews I've read have been incredibly kind and supportive. Thank you everyone! I hope I can continue to write stories you enjoy and will want to read!

* * *

\- 5 -

 _Happy with You_

The owner's of Aiya's know better than to let anyone take my seat.

I dragged Yosuke inside and practically jumped into my seat. I always sit at the counter by the chef. I love to watch him cook my meal. Maybe I should take notes - the less said about my cooking the better. Now that I think about it, I definitely shouldn't tell Yosuke about this. I'd _never_ hear the end of it.

"Two steak bowls, please!" I tell the chef, with a smile still on my face. Thankfully, the steak bowls at Aiya's are so good that no one can turn them down. Otherwise, I probably should have let Yosuke order his own food. He took a seat next to me and a deep breath. I can tell he's nervous, but then again, so am I.

"So, Chie," Yosuke started.

"..."

"Um, Chie?" Yosuke asked.

"..."

"Chie!" Yosuke shouted.

"Ah! What?" I replied, startled. My eyes were fixated on the food behind the counter, that I totally zoned out. I might have even been drooling.

"Man, I thought I lost you for a minute there," Yosuke said sarcastically. He sneered a bit towards me. Normally this would annoy me, for some reason I just sort of laughed. Something was different today.

"Sorry, I'm just _really_ hungry. What is it?" I say, trying to get back on topic.

"I just wanted to ask," Yosuke paused. "Why did you want to come on this date with me?"

My head felt completely empty when I heard that. What did he expect me to say? Neither of us really thought too much at the start, and we were both fumbling our way through whatever it was we were doing together. I was overthinking things so much that I took the opposite stance. I didn't want to think too hard about every decision we made. I just wanted to go with things and see what would happen. It's worked out for me so far. Yosuke is strange though. A few months ago, he seemed like a kid who never really grew up. Childish practical jokes, whining about how bored he was, having to work for his dad at Junes - Yosuke complained a lot. As we solved the mystery together, he seemed to mature. I think Yu helped him with that. Who am I kidding? Yu helps Yosuke with everything, even this date!

My eyes were staring off as I thought about all of this. I suppose I should give Yosuke an answer.

"I dunno."

Yosuke's jaw fell open. "That's it?"

"Yeah."

"That's it?!" Yosuke repeated.

"What do you want me to say?!" I shouted back. "I really don't know. Things went so quick on Valentine's Day. I just sort of went for it."

"But why did you do that in the first place?" Yosuke asked.

"Well," I started. "We've known each other for a while now. The two of us just click sometimes, you know?"

"And there are times when we don't 'click' at all," Yosuke replied, sounding down.

"What I'm trying to say is this: I feel like I can trust you more than anyone else," I continued. Yosuke's eyes opened wide in disbelief. "I know, 'What about Yukiko?'" I said, before Yosuke had the chance to. "Yukiko is my best friend and I trust her a lot. Yu has never let us down since he got here. Even Kanji, as blunt as he is, always is direct and honest with me. Yosuke, you are something else entirely."

Yosuke looked at me confused. "Then what am I?" My head turned to look at him.

"You're my boyfriend!" I said boldly, leaning towards Yosuke. He reared back in shock, too surprised to laugh at my dopey face. This time, I got to laugh at him!

"What?!" Yosuke yelled.

"Come on, Yosuke," I said. "I'm messing around, but I'm not lying to you or anything! We're on a date, and you're the boy, so you're my boyfriend!"

"You jumped straight to that quick!" Yosuke said, rubbing the back of his head. "I didn't think you thought of me like that."

"I can say the same," I replied.

"Really?" He asked.

"Yeah," I answered. "I always thought you were more into Rise or Yukiko. I thought you imagined me as just a friend you went to school with."

"Come on," Yosuke said. "I knew I never had a chance with either of those." Yosuke started to take a drink, then almost spit out his water. He had noticed me clench my fist. When he said that, it felt a little like an insult. "W-wait! That's not how I meant to say it..."

"That how did you mean to say it?" I asked, almost snarling at the cowering Yosuke.

"What I mean is, I never was really trying to date them or anything. I was too hung up on..." Yosuke trailed off.

"Saki," I finished.

"Yeah." He answered, looking down a little. "She never really got to knew me though. Before and after she died, you were always there as my friend. After you made the first move on Valentine's Day, I realized that maybe you felt the same as I do. You were the first friend I made when I moved to Inaba, and you've always been here for me. I never knew how much you meant to me until recently. You're something special, Chie."

"Nah..." I said sheepishly, looking down with a red face.

"But it's true!" Yosuke said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Because you're my girlfriend!"

Despite all of this sounding incredibly silly, I smiled up at Yosuke. Maybe we worked things out?

"Here you are!" A voice called out, interrupting our little 'moment'. It was the chef handing our steak bowls to us. We accepted them and I grabbed my chopsticks to chow down. Yosuke and I looked at each other, smiled, nodded, then turned to our food and began to eat.

* * *

Time passed. Maybe hours? I lost track of time and everything in my steak bowl. The whole time, Yosuke and I were joking about everything and anything. We had a more similar sense of humor than I thought. Though that doesn't excuse his dirty jokes he tells me late at night. I never really got why he did that...

"Hey, is that a grasshopper in your bowl?" Yosuke asked, pointing at my food in front of me.

"WHAT?!" I screamed. My head whipped to look straight in my bowl. All I saw was a bowl full of delicious steak. I fiddled my chopsticks around to see if anything gross had jumped in when I wasn't looking.

Yosuke chuckled. "Wow, that actually worked!" He said, grinning. My fist clenched again.

"You jerk!" I yelled, punching his arm mostly playfully. Yosuke still recoiled in slight pain, but I was grinning so he knew I wasn't mad.

 **Pi Pi Pi Pi Pi Pi Pi**

Our slight laughter was interrupted by my cell phone. I quickly yanked it from my pocket and took a look at who was calling. I didn't want to get distracted from my date, but I noticed it was Yukiko. Maybe I should tell her what I'm doing?

"Go ahead," Yosuke said. My face looked from my phone up to see him. "I don't mind," Yosuke winked, taken a relaxed stance.

"Uh, okay then," I replied, laughing nervously. What should I say to Yukiko? Should I say everything?

I stood up from my seat and walked towards the back by the restroom. Going outside would have been a better choice, I guess, but it was too late now. I flicked open the phone and accepted the call.

"Uh, hey Yukiko!" I said, trying to sound confident. It didn't come out right.

"Hello, Chie," She relied happily. "How did your training go? I haven't seen you since school."

"Huh?" I muttered. I completely forgot that was the excuse I used to run off after class. "Oh! The training! It went... great!" I hoped Yukiko would buy it.

"Chie..." She said. "What did you really do?" She didn't buy it at all.

"Uh... What do you mean?" I asked, trying to continue to play dumb.

"Chie, I know you're not telling the truth," She said. I couldn't see her, but she sounded a bit down. I looked guilty for lying to my best friend. "Why don't you want to tell me?"

"Yukiko..." I said. "I didn't really know what I was doing, so I didn't know how to tell you."

"What do you mean?" Yukiko asked.

"I'm, uh..." I hesitated. "I'm on a date."

"Really?" Yukiko said, surprised. "That's great! Is it with someone I know?"

"Y-yeah..." I hesitated again. Should I say? "You have to keep it a secret for now, okay?"

"Alright, I promise," Yukiko replied confidently.

"I'm on a date with... Yosuke," I said, my voice getting quieter. I waited for a response. Probably a shout of surprise. Instead, it was silence. "Yukiko?"

"That's good to hear!" She replied.

"Huh?" I was confused now.

"I had a feeling this would happen eventually," Yukiko said.

"What?" I couldn't really believe what I was hear.

"I always thought the two of you would get along great together!" Yukiko proclaimed.

"Really?" I asked. "I didn't notice until I took a chance recently."

"You two seem to understand each other in the weirdest ways. It just seemed right to me. I guess I won't keep you any longer. We need to talk about all of this soon. I want to hear everything, okay?"

"Deal!" I replied, happy to have Yukiko's support. For some reason, I figured the rest of the team would tease us, but everyone that knows is so understanding. Maybe telling everyone will be easier than I thought. I close the phone and stuff it back in my pocket. With more confidence, and a smile on my face, I walk back to my seat.

"How'd it go?" Yosuke asked as I sat back down.

"Great! Yukiko called and wondered where I've been," I said. Yosuke looked at me. I could tell what he wanted to ask. "Yeah, I told her about us."

"What does she think?" Yosuke asked, looking a bit worried.

"She approves!" I replied. Yosuke looked relieved. "That's a load off my mind."

"Me too," Yosuke agreed, letting out a deep breath. "Want to see something?" I looked over at him. "Take a look over there," He said, pointing towards the entrance. My head whipped to follow his finger. I saw the doorway and a figure standing there. He was tall, holding a box, and had silver hair.

It was Yu.

His face looked happy, but a little bit worried. Maybe he was scared of what my reaction would be. He probably expected me to flip out. I don't know what Yosuke told Yu about us, but he looked surprised at what we did.

In unison, Yosuke and I smiled, closed our eyes, then waved at him.

My eyes opened in time to see Yu nod in reply. His head turned to the side and I saw his mouth move. He was talking to someone, but they weren't in front of the door. I turned and saw Yosuke still smiling. We're having too much fun, we decided not to go talk with him. Yu looked back at us, smiled again, then walked off. We watched the entrance for a little while longer before turning back to the counter. Yosuke and I looked at each other again, smiled, then went back to our steak bowls.

* * *

The night sky of Inaba is so peaceful on days like today. For a while, the darkness was ominous. Now that the case is closed and the fog has been lifted for good, Inaba is such a calm place. Thanks to our efforts, Inaba is a safer place. I wonder if anyone will ever know what we went through to help everyone. Even if they don't, I feel great about the Investigation Team and what we did.

Yosuke and I were walking together in sync towards our homes. It was late; much later than I thought. My face was bright red now. It's odd because I wasn't really nervous while I was at Aiya's with Yosuke, but now it's caught up to me. I think Yosuke was nervous too, as I quickly glanced at him a few times and caught him blushing too. It was kind of cute actually.

We finally reached my house. It looked quiet inside. Maybe my family is already asleep?

"Well that was... fun!" I said, smiling with a warm, red face. Yosuke nodded. "Guess I'll uh-"

I didn't get to finish. I was interrupted by something. Something that blew my mind.

Yosuke had kissed me. He leaned in quickly and kissed me. I couldn't believe it for two reasons: first, Yosuke actually went for it; second, he one-upped me.

Yosuke kissed me on the lips.

He pulled back eventually. My face was frozen in complete shock. He grinned.

"Sorry, I figured it was my turn this time," Yosuke said, winking. He took a step back. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, huh?" He began to start to leave.

"W-wait," I said. I was trembling a bit. I couldn't let tonight just end like that.

"What?" Yosuke said. My head was looking down, my fists were clenched, and I was trembling a bit. "Uh, Chie? Are you okay?" Yosuke asked, taking a step closer. "I didn't mean to upset you or anything..."

Suddenly, my hands snapped out and grabbed Yosuke's collar. "Whoa!" Yosuke called out, caught off guard. I looked up determined, and yanked Yosuke towards me.

And I kissed Yosuke back.

"No," I said to him. " _I_ will see you tomorrow. Good night!" I said, with a devilish smirk on my face. I left Yosuke on my porch frozen in shock as I headed inside. As I closed the door behind me, I took a deep breath and sort of fist pumped the air. I can't believe I had the confidence to do that, but I'm so glad I did. I couldn't wait now to tell everyone else about this.

Yosuke is my boyfriend and I am his girlfriend. Who would have thought?


End file.
